2024-07-05 00:13:00
PLAY WITH DT: La Polla El Comercio Copa América USA 2024: Which team is your champion? Play and predict all the results of the competition
For many, it was as expected. The team reached the continental competition last in the Qualifiers (two points in six dates), with a new coach (Jorge Fossati) who seeks to implement a new scheme such as the 3-5-2 which requires working time, and after that. four friendlies against lower level rivals (Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Paraguay; the latter was also eliminated from the Cup). But the future still worries us: in September we will face Colombia in Lima and Ecuador in Quito for the qualifiers.
The competition also left some phrases from the coach which created some controversy. Or they increased the criticism after a call that included Paolo Guerrero and Christian Cueva, two references of the national team without a doubt, but their current situation is not good at all. For this reason, at DT we choose the four Uruguayan phrases to analyze and determine whether or not it is far from reality.
| The Fossati era | Tournament | Goal scorers | Bow shooting |
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INTERVIEW: Javier Saviola: “Paolo Guerrero reminds me of Batistuta, in Peru they should respect him”
“Paolo Guerrero and Christian Cueva are in full force”
Let’s start with a statement: both Paolo Guerrero and Christian Cueva were fundamental in the historic qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The hierarchy and legacy of the two are not realized around the corner, much less they are being discussed. But today, six years after the World Cup event that made us cry with joy, they are far from their best. And that coach Jorge Fossati points out that they are at “full strength” at the moment.
Let’s start with Paolo. ‘9’ César Vallejo reached the Copa América at the age of 40 and scored just three goals in nine games played in six months. “It’s time to leave the historical ones for the museum exhibits. I’m not saying this because of Tapia, Yotún or Advíncula – who we missed a lot and probably keep the level of Russia 2018 –; I say it for Paolo Guerrero. Take care of him, Nonno. Take care of him from the insults of the strong, but above all take care of him from himself; Take care of his drive, his desire, his determination to continue fighting battles that are no longer his.”DT columnist Renato Cisneros wrote in his piece last article in which he analyzed the future of the team with a view to the Qualifiers.
Paolo reached the Cup without playing a single minute since the beginning of May, when he suffered a muscle tear. Since then he rose in Videna under the watch of Jorge Fossati. And in the continental competition he played only 95 minutes in three games (in the last one, against Argentina, he started). And their numbers are as follows: zero goals, zero assists, two shots on goal, zero chances created and only 54% of the duels won.
Cueva’s case is even worse. He had no action during 2024 before getting on the plane to compete in the championship in the United States. In fact, his last game, before playing 11 minutes against Canada, was in October 2023. He suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee. At first he joined the national delegation as a guest, to work closely with Professor Fossati in thinking about the Qualifiers, but he ended up making the final list and playing a total of 24 minutes. He didn’t add goals, assists or important passes.
“If this is going to be a hit, it’s going to be a hit. “We are not going to escape.”
The phrase said before the duel against Canada shows what Fossati wants from the Peru team: to have eleven heroes who leave their lives on the field. In short: grit cars. It doesn’t take as much work as the 3-5-2 to improve that belonging, and the players understood it perfectly.
Despite the drop, Peru won 55% of duels and had 12 losses in shared balls, below 19 Canadian teams. In addition, he had a 61% percentage in winning entries, while his competitors only had 35%.
The team played one of their best games, scoring four times behind. However, he was unable to score his first three points. And Miguel Araujo’s dismissal set the stage for the match that ended in victory.
“There are many positives for Peru in this Copa América”
Jorge Fossati was clear before the Copa América: the tournament was going to work towards the Qualifiers. The goal is to qualify for the World Cup. However, in addition to consolidating the defense with Araujo, Zambrano and Callens, the Peruvian team had nothing more positive to draw attention to.
The offense is a difficult debt to pay. In the three games (270 minutes), Peru had only nine shots. Quispe showed that he cannot be the leader of the national team yet, Lapadula only shot three times behind and was far from his best level. Paolo and Cueva are not the same before. And those who weren’t there were surprised: Tapia and Yotún.
The 3-5-2 was not compact either, a system that takes space away from skilled wings like Bryan Reyna or Joao Grimaldo. “Fossati’s system seems to argue that it does not serve the selection,” analyzed the journalist Michel Dancourt in a survey recently published in DT.
Even worse if we talk about how we did in the Cup: eliminated in the group stage with only one point. “We were going to make every effort to celebrate that we had more time. That’s what it was and that’s what it continued to be about. What I change is that I can’t have the players for another week,” said Fossati himself after the elimination. The Cup, therefore, left a lot more bad than good.
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Bonus:
“I wouldn’t be against playing at the Monumental”
Perhaps it is because of the past at Universitario, but Jorge Fossati does not frown on the move of the Peruvian team’s home base from the National Stadium to the Monumental de Ate. However, the Bicolor does not have pleasant memories playing in that stadium.
For the Qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, Chemo del Solar – also at the same time as last cream – chose the Monumental as a venue. That time we finished last with 13 points, two less than Bolivia. And at home we only got two wins, four draws and two defeats.
“For me, Peru should always play at home, which is the National Stadium. The Monumental is a great stadium, but the historic home of Peru has always been, and always will be, the National Stadium,” journalist Rodrigo Morales told DT El Comercio.
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